Need help getting my Winbond BH-5 to perform

[Lowther]

Hi all!!

I´m having trouble getting my memmory/motherboard combo to run at the kind of speeds I would expekt from this hardware.
My 512Mb stick of TwinMOS/Winbond BH-5 is currently maxing out at between 205-210MHz, running the following timings and voltages:

VDD=1.85V
VDimm=2.85V
Timings: 2.0-2-2-11

Oh, and just to clarify, thats on a Epox 8rda+, with vdd-mod and A3 northbridge stepping.

Thanks alot

Mike

[skate2snow]

2.85V is too much for that speed;)

[Lowther]

I take it you mean that it should do that spead att lower voltage?
That might be the case, I haven´t tried every variation of timings/voltage/FSB,
takes forever if you want some 6 hours of prime inbetween =)

However, I can´t see any reason for it to max out at 205 BECAUSE of me running it at 2.85V,
it might be that it would do 205 at 2.75V but that still doesn´t really explain why I´m not getting higher, if you follow my meaning???

Mike

[DjTonic]

Try to lower the mem voltage. At this speeds must working on default voltage :). Also try higher VDD voltage if have problems.

[skate2snow]

If you put too much volt it crash for all: CPU, GPU, Dimm, NB. So your RAM should do that around 2.7 or something like that

[PyroTeknik]

instead of lowering volts you could try upping speed.. rocketing past your liimit so to speak

[DjTonic]

My friend must have on 8rda's (It's old nforce2 non ultra) vdd over 2V for 225-227FSB.

[Lowther]

Thanks alot for your input so far guys.

I´m starting to think that upping my VDD might be the next thing to try.
It really bugs me not getting higher since I keep reading about people praising these BH-5 chips.
Someone stated that they loved high VDimm, but that´s just one guys opinion I guess.

I guess i should add that I have a "Microcool Northpole" heatsink/fan combo cooling the NB.
So you guys really think this memory should do these kinds of speeds at these timings on lower voltage??
I´m not sure what it´s rated att but i guess it´s something like 200MHz@ 2.5-3-3-8, but then again,
everyone says it´s wicked fast, so I really don´t know what to think.

I would love some more suggestions and hints, I really feel that this i where I could/(should?)
get some more performance out of this hardware.

I have no problems with adding the VDimm mod if necessary =)

EDIT: Oh, and the mobo is the old NON-ultra, just so ou know

[Feiticeira]

I done probably the same thing as what you are doing on my bros nf7. put my RAM in and assumed it needed more voltage than it did, got to 210 and put voltage to 2.8 or so and it wasnt stable, all i did was drop the voltage back to 2.6 and hey presto stable again. From that i learnt not to assume voltages need upping, only up them when it gets unstable at a certain speed, check if it improves stability and if it doesnt then look for another reason.

Dave

[Gef]

Mine TwinMOS/Winbond PC3200 does 228MHz 2-2-2-6 with 2.8v on my MAX3...dont know if they are BH-5 or not though...

[STEvil]

Its the 8rda+ more than likely.

I can do 200mhz 2-2-2-5/11 with 2.8v and my BH-6, but 199mhz 2-2-2-5/11 is no go at any voltage.

These 1.1 boards are horribly finicky.. 2-3-2-5 210mhz 2.8v right now..

[sjohnson]

Bah! ;) Feed it volts and burnin loops. Early (over one year old) 2x256 Winbond/Twinmos BH-5 here at 3.3v, 2.5-11-2-2-2-9-12 here. As soon as I get settled in my new house it gets a volt mod for 3.6v :D

Mine takes 2.8v to do 200-205 FSB, tight timings. Never has run 200 at stock volts.

[sexsymbol]

Well I think its a matter of the mobo. You really need to mod the board to make it run high FSB. For me to make it up to 245 FSB I had to:
- Lap the northbridge and watercool it.
- Heat spreaders on the mosfets with fan on top.
- 2.1v of Vdd (Don´t go above 2.1v or you would burn the vreg chip, at least that was my experience with 2.25v XD )
- 3.2v for the mem (Geil 3700).

Also the FSB 245 I was only capable with my Geil memory, with the BH-5 I was never able to make it work 2-2-2-11 no matter wath fsb I used. I think the 8rda+ is not BH-5 friendly at least not with my board Rev 1.1.

[Lowther]

Thanks a lot everyone, I feel i like I have a few things to try out now, amd most of all that I´ve gotten back the "urge to over-clock" :D

I think I will try upping the VDD to about 2.0-2.1V, and also add a VDimm mod for some serious voltage.
(as soon as I can manage to take a brake from playing Desert Combat, that is)

I´ve also got another question, I feel like I want another 512Mb of ram, even though I know that might hurt my clocks,
but I´m wondering is if it´s a really bad thing adding a stick of ADATA BH-5 to my existing TwinMOS????
In other words, mixing different manufacturers with same chips??

Cheers

Mike

[sexsymbol]

Recently read a thread of someone mixing manufactures and getting great results. I think he was even mixing bh5 with bh6. Double channel always needs a extra effort to attain high clocks and if using 512 sticks another extra effort.

[Stang_Man]

My nf7/twinmos pc3200 bh5 combo:

With 2.9V, it did 225FSB, 5-2-2-2 (and 11-2-2-2)
With 3.3V, it did 245FSB, 5-2-2-2 (and 11-2-2-2)

With my 8rda+, I had vdimm set to 2.9V, and 210FSB, and that was the max it could do too!

The 8rda+ is the culprit, a vdd mod MIGHT help a bit, but I wouldn't expect too much from it. Don't expect more than 220FSB at the max. Also, when i did the vdd mod, don't do too much voltage at once. I fed my 8rda+ 1.95V, and it didn't benefit any. I wish I could have tested lower volts, from 1.7 to 1.9 first.

If you can do 220+ after the vdd mod, you can try the vdimm mod

[Clew]

Mod the §§§§ out of the board, but if it doesn't help, sell it and get a DFI..
Have you tried your meory in another computer?
I've heard that some newer bh5-sticks doesn't clock very well.
Well i don't know but i hope that's not true because i have a new bh5 512mb right here, untested...

(lycka till med klockningen :))